Transmission fingerprints in quasiperiodic magnonic multilayers

In this paper we investigated the influence of mirror symmetry on the transmission spectra of quasiperiodic magnonic multilayers arranged according to Fibonacci, Thue-Morse and double period quasiperiodic sequences. We consider that the multilayers composed of two simple cubic Heisenberg ferromagnets with bulk exchange constants J_A and J_B and spin quantum numbers S_A and S_B, respectively. The multilayer structure is surrounded by two semi-infinite slabs of a third Heisenberg ferromagnetic material with exchange constant J_C and spin quantum number S_C. For simplicity, the lattice constant has the same value a in each material, corresponding to epitaxial growth at the interfaces. The transfer matrix treatment was used for the exchange-dominated regime, taking into account the random phase approximation (RPA). Our numerical results illustrate the effects of mirror symmetry on (i) transmission spectra and (ii) transmission fingerprints.     

Characterization of Commercial Amylases for the Removal of Filter Cake on Petroleum Wells

Drilling fluid has many functions, such as carry cuttings from the hole permitting their separation at the surface, cool and clean the bit, reduce friction between the drill pipe and wellbore, maintain the stability of the wellbore, and prevent the inflow of fluids from the wellbore and form a thin, low-permeable filter cake. Filter cake removal is an important step concerning both production and injection in wells, mainly concerning horizontal completion. The drilling fluids are typically comprised of starch, the most important component of the filter cake. A common approach to remove this filter cake is the use of acid solutions. However, these are non-specific reactants. A possible alternative is the use of enzymatic preparations, like amylases, that are able to hydrolyze starch. Wells usually operate in drastic conditions for enzymatic preparations, such as high temperature, high salt concentration, and high pressure. Thus, the main objective of this work was to characterize four enzymatic preparations for filter cake removal under open hole conditions. The results showed that high salt concentrations (204,000 ppm NaCl) in completion fluid decreased amylolytic activity. All enzymatic preparations were able to catalyze starch hydrolysis at all temperatures tested (30, 65, 80, and 95 °C). An increase of amylolytic activity was observed with the increase of pressure (100, 500 and 1,000 psi) for one commercial amylase.     

Concentration multi-échelles de courbure dans des fibres de Milnor

Résumé. Etant donné un germe de morphisme analytique complexe à fibre réduite, nous étudions la manière dont la courbure de Lipschitz-Killing de la fibre de Milnor pour la métrique induite par celle de se concentre asymptotiquement, lorsque , dans l'intersection de cette fibre avec des boules dont les centres peuvent être décrits mais surtout dont les rayons sont de la forme où les des nombres rationnels dont la collection ne dépend que de la topologie du plongement dans du germe de courbe plane réduite . Received: May 29, 1998.     

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and determination of tartaric and malic acids from grapes and winemaking by-products

The optimization of an ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method for tartaric and malic acids from grape derived samples is shown. A fractional factorial experimental design allowed for the determination of the effects of seven extraction variables. Relationships between all the variables were examined. By applying graphical analysis, the best extractions conditions were obtained. The most important variables were the extracting liquid and the extraction temperature. Later, a central composite design was applied for optimizing the temperature and the composition of the extracting liquid. The optimized method was applied to grapes and to winemaking by-products. The repeatability of the method was studied and the recovery of tartaric and malic acids was established. Organic acids quantification was done by liquid chromatography (LC) using a post-column buffer and a conductivity detector.     

The preopt package for pre-optimization of gradient elutions in high-performance liquid chromatography

A theoretical model is described for quick pre-optimization of binary multistep gradient elutions in liquid chromatography. This model utilizes experimental retention-time data under isocratic elution conditions for different proportions of organic modifier in the mobile phase, and simulates the position of the peaks in the chromatogram by calculation of the average velocity of the peaks through the column. Optimization is done for multistep gradients by means of the simplex algorithm. The results must then be confirmed experimentally. Results are given demonstrating the power and validity of the model in the resolution of complex mixtures. The whole process done on a micro-computer with the PREOPT package usually takes about 30 min, without requiring user participation or chromatographic instrumentation.     

A criterion for the planarity of a graph

In a recent paper, Carsten Thomassen [Carsten Thomassen, Planarity and duality of finite and infinite graphs. J. Combinatorial Theory Ser. B 29 (1980) 244–271] has shown that a number of criteria for the planarity of a graph can be reduced to that of Kuratowski. Here we present another criterion which, as well, is easily proved via Kuratowski's. The criterion is based on the observation that the imbedding of a graph in a plane imposes a cyclic ordering, say clockwise, on the edges incident with each vertex, and that these cyclic orderings are related.     

Crystallographic report: Dimeric tetraphenyl‐1‐hydroxo‐3‐trifluoromethanesulfonatodistannoxane, [Ph2(HO)SnOSn(O3SCF3)Ph2]2

The molecular structure of the title compound, obtained by an adventitious phenyl group cleavage of Ph₃SnOSnPh₃ with triflic acid, reveals discrete centrosymmetric units of [Ph₂(HO)SnOSn(O₃SCF₃)Ph₂]₂ that are loosely associated via hydrogen bonding. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A bound-improving approach to discrete programming problems

This note deals with the extension of the bound-improving sequence idea to general discrete programming problems.Corresponding author.     

Interaction of lectins withYersinia pestis strains

The ability of lectins to interact with Yersinia pestis strains isolated from rodent fleas and human biological fluids, obtained from different geographic areas, was examined. Lectins of Canavalia ensiformis, Ulex europaeus, Phaseolus vulgaris, and Triticum vulgaris, as well as a new autochthonous lectin of Swartzia pickellii of undefined specificity, were used. Most of the Y. pestis strains did not agglutinate with U. europaeus or C. ensiformis lectin. However, P. vulgaris lectin agglutinated suspensions of all the bacillus strains used. Fifteen of the 19 strains tested positive for assays using S. pickellii lectin. It is believed this is the first report of Y. pestis strain agglutination by lectins. A similar agglutination pattern was obtained for lectins with specificity for oligosaccharides containing N-acetylglucosamine and S. pickellii lectin, which did bind to the affinity matrix chitin, a polysaccharide of N-acetylglucosamine. The use of bacterial strains and commercial lectins of defined specificity may be an approach to providing evidence about the lectin binding sites of undefined monosaccharide specificity.